E040Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically
Handicapped Persons

Summary

E040 describes the standards under which mail may be sent
to or from blind or physically handicapped persons free of postage.

1.0 Basic Information

1.1General

[8-8-02] Subject to the standards below, matter may be
entered free of postage if mailed by or for the use of blind or other
persons who cannot read or use conventionally printed materials due
to a physical handicap. The provisions of E040 apply to domestic mail only.

1.2Mail Classification

Matter mailed free under this standard is not considered
part of any particular class of mail and is not protected against postal
inspection. This matter is treated as First-Class Mail for the exclusive
purposes of determining appropriate standards for processing and delivery
and for handling if undeliverable.

1.3Eligibility

[8-8-02] The following persons are considered to be blind
or unable to read or use conventionally printed material due to a physical
handicap for purposes of this section:

a. Certified participants in the Library of Congress
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).

b. Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined
by competent authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting
lenses, or whose widest diameter of visual field subtends angular distance
no greater than 20 degrees.

c. Other physically handicapped persons certified by
competent authority as meeting one or more of the following conditions:

(1) Having a visual disability, with correction and
regardless of optical measurement, that prevents the reading of standard
printed material.

(2) Being unable to read or unable to use standard printed
material as a result of physical limitations.

(3) Having a reading disability resulting from organic
dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed
material in a normal manner.

(4) Meeting the requirements of eligibility resulting
from a degenerative, variable disease that renders them unable to read
or use conventional printed material because of impaired eyesight or
other physical factors. These persons are eligible during the time in
which they are certified by a competent authority as unable to read
or use conventional materials.

d. Eligible participants must be residents of the United
States, including the several states, territories, insular possessions,
and the District of Columbia, or American citizens domiciled abroad.

1.4Certifying Authority

[8-8-02] For purposes of this standard:

a. The postmaster may extend the free matter privilege
to an individual recipient based on personal knowledge of the individuals
eligibility.

b. In cases of blindness, visual impairment, or physical
limitations, competent authority is defined to include doctors
of medicine; doctors of osteopathy; ophthalmologists; optometrists;
registered nurses; therapists; and professional staff of hospitals,
institutions, and public or private welfare agencies (e.g., social workers,
caseworkers, counselors, rehabilitation teachers, and superintendents).
In the absence of any of these, certification may be made by professional
librarians or by any person whose competence under specific circumstances
is acceptable to the Library of Congress (see 36 CFR 701.10(b)(2)(i)).

c. In the case of reading disability from organic dysfunction,
competent authority is defined as doctors of medicine and
doctors of osteopathy.

1.5Qualifying Individuals

[8-8-02] The USPS may require individuals claiming entitlement
to the free matter privilege to furnish evidence of eligibility consistent
with the standards in 1.3 and 1.4, or verify by other means that the recipients
are eligible to receive free matter.

2.0Matter Sent to Blind or Other physicallyHandicapped Persons

2.1Acceptable Matter

c. Paper, records, tapes, and other material for the
production of reading matter, musical scores, or sound reproductions.

d. Reproducers or parts of them for sound reproductions.

e. Braille writers, typewriters, educational or other
materials or devices, or parts thereof, used for writing by, or designed
or adapted for use of, a blind person or a person who has a physical
impairment as described in 1.3.

(1) All material of which a valuable consideration is
paid, accepted, or promised, that calls attention to something to get
people to buy it, sell it, seek it, or support it.

(2) Reading matter or other material of which an advertising
rate is charged.

(3) Articles, items, and notices in the form of reading
matter inserted by custom or understanding that textual matter is to
be inserted for the advertiser or the advertisers products in
which a display advertisement appears.

(4) An organizations advertisement of its own
services or issues, or any other business of the publisher, whether
in display advertising or reading matter.

2.3Letters From Sighted

Letters prepared in any form by sighted individuals, to
be sent to a blind or other physically handicapped person, or empty
shipping materials for mailing matter described in this section, may
not be sent free and must bear the full applicable postage.

3.0Matter Sent by Blind or Other physicallyHandicapped Persons

3.1Acceptable Letters

[8-8-02] Only letters in braille or in 14-point or larger
sightsaving type or in the form of sound recordings, and containing
no advertising, may be mailed free, and only if unsealed and sent by
a blind or other physically handicapped person as described in 1.3.

3.2Other Letters

Letters that are handwritten, or printed or typed in a
type size smaller than 14 points, may not be sent free. These letters
must bear the full applicable postage.

4.0Preparation

4.1Basic Standards

All matter mailed under this standard:

a. Must be marked Free Matter for the Blind or
Handicapped in the upper right corner of the address side.

b. Must meet the minimum and maximum dimensions in C010 and C700, respectively.